SPF Is King, Rain or Shine
“Wearing SPF 30 or higher daily is the single greatest thing you can do to prevent photoaging, which causes lines, texture, and pigment on the skin,” says Carey Campbell, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon partner at Stark MD in Philadelphia. “I recommend that patients don’t walk out of the house without it—rain or shine.” In general, Dr. Campbell guides her patients toward European and Korean sunscreens, “which have more advanced, patented filters, and are often lighter-feeling and longer-lasting than what is currently approved in the US,” she notes. However, from the US market, she likes Alastin Hydratint, an SPF 36 formula that doubles a daily tinted moisturizer.
But the most thorough sun protection goes beyond sunscreen. Marisa Ponzo, MD, a double-board-certified dermatologist at North York Dermatology Clinic in Toronto, also advocates for sun-protective clothing, wide-brimmed hats, and generally staying out of the sun between 10 am and 4 pm. It’s also a good idea to seek shade—and wear shades. “Squinting and frowning matter more than people realize,” says Kate Daniel, the skincare expert at Skintique, a UK-based retailer of medical-grade skincare. “Sunglasses aren’t just there to protect your eyes from UV; they also stop you repeatedly screwing your face up in bright light, which is a big contributor to early crow’s feet.”
